


Your Side of the Bed

by viiikachu



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Pining, Sleep Deprivation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26537476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viiikachu/pseuds/viiikachu
Summary: Regina hasn't been able to sleep well for a while.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Comments: 5
Kudos: 71





	Your Side of the Bed

**Author's Note:**

> Hi friends. This is my first-ever completed SwanQueen fic (i thought perhaps i should start small), and it MIGHT be the first in a series. It was inspired by the song "Your Side of the Bed" by Loote, and it's pretty melancholy. I hope you enjoy!

Regina doesn’t sleep easily anymore.

She hardly bothers to try.

People are beginning to notice.

  
At first, it’s just Henry. Bless him, he would notice. (Of course _her_ son would possess the keen powers of observation necessary to be deemed The Author.) She’s more sluggish in the mornings, and she’s taken to having a double shot of espresso at home _before_ her usual cup at Granny’s. Henry shoots her worried glances as he eats breakfast, but doesn’t comment.

The diner is a whole other conversation. As Regina orders her usual coffee (black, two sugars), Ruby jokingly points out the dark circles under her eyes (does _no one_ appreciate that Regina still has the power to fireball the hell out of anyone at whim anymore?). Regina pays for her coffee with a withering glare, and walks to her office. It doesn’t matter how tired she is, or why. Mayors don’t get mental health days.

After a busy morning and lunch ( _two coffees later, more like, but who’s counting?),_ she gets a phone call from Henry, asking if he can stay at the Charmings’ after Family Dinner. Regina runs her fingers through her hair, and agrees, sighing. She misses those Family Dinners, though she’d never admit it out loud to _anyone._ Henry tentatively invites her, but she politely declines. It’s too much, now. Henry knows. He doesn’t press.   
  
Regina stifles a yawn as she gathers her purse at precisely 6pm. She debates another cup of coffee ( _does it really matter? She isn’t going to sleep anyway. She never does anymore.)_ before tiredly sliding into the driver’s seat of her Mercedes and heading home. 

She settles on a cup of tea when she arrives in her kitchen ( _there’s still caffeine in it, but it’s better than coffee at this hour)_ , and starts preparing dinner. Robin usually comes on days that Henry is with his other mother. She’d send him a text, but despite her best efforts he steadfastly refuses to adapt to the technology here. No matter. He’s always on time.   
  
They have dinner ( _chicken cacciatore, not her favorite, but she won’t make her lasagna for him. Not yet.)_ , and Regina has switched from tea to her favorite red wine ( _a bold and spicy Tempranillo)_ . Robin is regaling her with amusing stories of how the Merry Band is adjusting to their new home in the woods of Storybrooke. She’s barely listening. He notices.   
  
“You look tired,” he says, rubbing her shoulder with affection. (She _appreciates_ everyone’s concern, but _really_ no woman wants to hear that she looks tired even if it’s true.) “Let’s call it an early night. I’ll give you a back rub, that’ll put you right to sleep. You look like you can hardly keep your eyes open.”   
  
He’s sweet. Regina smiles ruefully, and acquiesces. They head up the stairs, her head leaning on his shoulder.   
  
“I’ll be just a moment,” she says, taking off her heels as they enter her bedroom. She kisses him on the cheek and pads barefoot into her ensuite, closing the door. She undresses, carefully places her clothes in her laundry basket, and retrieves her nightgown and robe from their hook on the back of the door. She brushes her teeth and washes her face, willing her treacherous brain to _please turn itself off, just for a little while._ She splashes cold water on her face, and sighs. It’s going to be another restless night. 

Opening the door to her bedroom, Regina walks in carefully, schooling her face so Robin won’t see the _sheer disappointment_ that it’s him on the right side of the bed. _That’s Emma’s side of the bed,_ she thinks, her mind betraying itself as usual. She shakes her head as if to physically remove the thought from her brain. _Not anymore_ , she reminds herself.   
  
Robin sees the small movement. “Is everything alright?” he asks warmly.

  
Regina forces a tiny smile. “Of course, darling. I’m just exhausted.” It’s true, even if she knows she won’t sleep again tonight. She’ll get used to it.   
  
She slips under the covers and extinguishes the lamp on her night table. She snuggles into Robin’s side as he presses a kiss to her temple. Maybe if she pretends it’s _her_ , she can drift off, just for a little while.   
  


_Fuck a happy ending_ , she thinks as she closes her eyes.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I made a little playlist of songs I have SwanQueen headcanons about, so I might write another. You can find me on twitter @viiikachu


End file.
